Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of SEND provision in Surrey and Hampshire; and what steps she plans to take to support local authorities in those areas to improve delivery of SEND services.

The department is continuing to support and challenge Surrey and Hampshire to improve the delivery of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) services.

The last local area SEND inspection by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) for Surrey was in September 2023. The department’s regional team has put in place systems to track outcomes against the areas for improvement that were identified by inspectors and to track the progress made by children and young people with SEND. Surrey County Council are committed to working closely with the department to improve services.

Surrey County Council entered into a Safety Valve agreement with the department in March 2022. Safety Valve agreements were established under the previous government with the aim of improving the effectiveness of local authority high needs systems and ensure their long-term financial sustainability.

Hampshire were last inspected under the previous Ofsted and CQC framework in March 2020. As with all local areas, the department has continued to provide support to Hampshire through a regional case lead, who seeks regular assurances on the adequacy of SEND provision. Hampshire will be assessed under the new Ofsted and CQC Area Inspection Framework, with all local authorities due to be inspected by the end of 2027.

Hampshire is taking part in the Delivering Better Value (DBV) in SEND Programme. The DBV in SEND Programme, which is currently under review, was established under the previous government with the aim of helping local authorities provide more effective SEND services by meeting the needs of children and young people at an early stage and with the right level of support.